LIFELINE!
So we had now fathomed the wind was only blowing about fifteen knots on the water and it looked like it was game over since Nik had only brought along his tiniest quiver. Feeling totally gutted we headed back to Nik’s van to pack up. Just as Nik slid the Stubby into the racks and was about to shut the van door he exclaimed – “Hang on a minute Carter, look what I have just found hidden in here!” Lo and behold deep inside his ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of windsurfing equipment, there on the rack was a bright green Gecko 98L and sitting next to it a sail bag containing a 6.4m Volt all round sail. A quick scurry around for a fin, boom and appropriate mast and yes, we had enough equipment on hand to cobble together a freeride set up that would enable Baker one last shot at hitting the water. Ok it was not quite what I had envisaged shooting at the beginning of the day, but if this combo was offering an escape from jail card I was first in line to take it. All of a sudden we were back on, in a roundabout way, although ironically the rest of the south coast was still literally being blown off the water on tiny sails. But hey it was summer, sunny and windy (ish) and with the Gecko, probably Fanatic’s most popular board in the range, why not let Nik cut loose and show what he could do on it!